​​Promoting Inclusive Human Capital Development and Building Resilience in Egypt through Cash Transfer Programs ​

Report on Egypt’s Takaful and Karama Program

Introduction

The Takaful and Karama Program (TKP) was initiated in 2015 as a response to the economic reforms in Egypt, including the removal of energy subsidies. The program’s objective is to support the poor by providing targeted cash transfers, with a focus on promoting human capital through access to health and education services. The program aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to poverty reduction, good health, quality education, and gender equality.

Program Achievements

1. Enrollment of 4.67 million households, with 75% being women.
2. Approximately 17 million direct and indirect beneficiaries.
3. 51% of Takaful households comply with health conditionality.
4. 63% of Takaful households comply with education conditionality.
5. 100% of beneficiaries receive payments electronically.

Beneficiary Testimonials

• Eman Ramadan Abdel Rahman, a wage employment beneficiary, highlights the positive impact of steady income on her life.
• Riham, a Takaful program beneficiary, appreciates the empowerment in making purchasing decisions.
• Mervat, another Takaful beneficiary, discusses how the cash transfers have helped her manage her family’s finances.
• Mastoura, a Karama beneficiary, shares the benefits of the health and Karama support she has received.

Challenges and Approach

The TKP was developed to address the fragmentation and targeting issues in Egypt’s social protection system. The program consists of two components: Takaful, a conditional cash transfer program targeting poor families with children, and Karama, an unconditional cash transfer program for vulnerable individuals. The program uses Proxy Means Testing (PMT) methodologies for efficient targeting and has a strong delivery system with a grievance mechanism and a dynamic social registry.

Cash-Plus Interventions

TKP has implemented various interventions to address issues such as illiteracy, reproductive health, housing conditions, child nutrition, and economic inclusion through the FORSA program. These interventions are designed to move beneficiaries from protection to production and reduce dependency on cash transfers.

Results and Impact

The TKP has been instrumental in promoting human capital development and women’s empowerment in Egypt. Independent evaluations have shown improvements in diet quality, child nutrition, school enrollment, and household consumption. The program has also been effective in consolidating Egypt’s cash transfer programs under one umbrella.

World Bank Group Contribution

The World Bank has supported the TKP with two loans totaling $900 million, along with additional financing from various trust funds. The project has benefited from partnerships with government ministries, NGOs, the private sector, and UN agencies.

Future Outlook

The World Bank continues to support Egypt in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of the TKP. Efforts are focused on strengthening the delivery system, improving data analysis for climate change response, and scaling up cash-plus interventions. Reforms are also underway in Egypt’s social protection system to improve targeting and coordination.

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Analysis of the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

The article addresses several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including:

• SDG 1: No Poverty
• SDG 2: Zero Hunger
• SDG 3: Good Health and Well-being
• SDG 4: Quality Education
• SDG 5: Gender Equality
• SDG 8: Decent Work and Economic Growth
• SDG 10: Reduced Inequalities

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

Specific targets under the identified SDGs include:

1. Target 1.3: Implement nationally appropriate social protection systems and measures for all, including floors, and by 2030 achieve substantial coverage of the poor and the vulnerable.
2. Target 2.2: By 2030, end all forms of malnutrition, including achieving, by 2025, the internationally agreed targets on stunting and wasting in children under five years of age.
3. Target 3.8: Achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all.
4. Target 4.1: By 2030, ensure that all girls and boys complete free, equitable and quality primary and secondary education leading to relevant and effective learning outcomes.
5. Target 5.5: Ensure women’s full and effective participation and equal opportunities for leadership at all levels of decision-making in political, economic and public life.
6. Target 8.5: By 2030, achieve full and productive employment and decent work for all women and men, including for young people and persons with disabilities, and equal pay for work of equal value.
7. Target 10.2: By 2030, empower and promote the social, economic and political inclusion of all, irrespective of age, sex, disability, race, ethnicity, origin, religion or economic or other status.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

The article implies several indicators that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets:

• Number of households enrolled in social protection programs (Indicator for Target 1.3)
• Percentage of households complying with health and education conditionalities (Indicators for Targets 2.2, 3.8, and 4.1)
• Percentage of women beneficiaries (Indicator for Target 5.5)
• Number of job opportunities created through economic inclusion programs (Indicator for Target 8.5)
• Reduction in poverty rates and improvements in child nutrition (Indicators for Targets 1.3, 2.2)

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets, and Indicators’ to present the findings from analyzing the article.

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Copyright: Dive into this article, curated with care by SDG Investors Inc. Our advanced AI technology searches through vast amounts of data to spotlight how we are all moving forward with the Sustainable Development Goals. While we own the rights to this content, we invite you to share it to help spread knowledge and spark action on the SDGs.

Fuente: worldbank.org

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